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Ode to Earth is a national initiative of ACCESS Development
Services to link small producers to mainstream markets. Under this
initiative, ACCESS is bringing together a national network of producer
groups, NGOs and other organisations & networks to provide
services that help and facilitate its member organisations to access
mainstream markets through well-structured business development
services and processes.
As a run-up to the structuring of the network, the first Ode to Earth
market event was organized at the Microfinance India Summit in
2008 in which over 65 artisan groups participated. In the second
Ode to Earth market event in early 2010, the participation and the
product range significantly increased and the retail sales were much
higher. Over these two years, the Ode to Earth brand has become
well recognized and artisan groups have expressed their keenness to
continue their association with the ACCESS initiative.
Based on the success and benefits of these two events, there was
a demand for developing a strategy that would provide ongoing and
sustainable support to artisans. The idea of Ode to Earth was
initiated and evolved to better understand the market dynamics
and facilitate artisan groups to better negotiate with the market. In the next phase, it is envisaged that Ode to Earth will work towards
the setting up of a for-profit, producer-owned marketing company,
with a possible stake-holding of the network member organizations
to make the initiative sustainable and self-reliant. |
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